The phenomenon of favoritism in the era of palace coups in Russia. Palace coups in the middle of the 18th century

"The era of palace coups" is the period in the history of Russia in the second quarter of the 18th century, from 1725 to 1762. During these years, the policy of the state was determined by individual groups of the palace nobility. They fought among themselves for power, actively intervened in resolving the issue of the heir to the throne, carried out palace coups. During the 37-year period of political instability (1725-1762), six monarchs occupied the throne, who received the throne as a result of complex palace intrigues or coups.

The military force of the coups was the palace guards regiments. The guard was not only a privileged part of the Russian army, it was a representative of the nobility, from whose midst it was formed and whose interests it represented.

The purpose of the palace coups was not to change the political structure of the country, but only the transfer of power from one group of nobles to another took place. The political and economic role of the nobility increased during this period.

Peter I established a new order of succession to the throne, characteristic of an absolute monarchy: the ruler himself appoints his heir. But Peter himself died on January 30, 1725, before he could bequeath his throne to anyone. A fierce struggle for power began (“passions at the throne”), during which the participants thought more about their personal ambitions than about the interests of the state and people.
In 1725-1727. the empress was the widow of Peter Catherine I, under which A. D. Menshikov was the de facto ruler. After her death in 1727-1730. the emperor was Peter II, the grandson of Peter I (the son of the executed Tsarevich Alexei, the son of Peter Alekseevich from his first marriage). The favorites of Peter II were the princes Dolgorukov. In 1730-1740. the empress was Anna Ioannovna, the natural niece of Peter I (daughter of his co-ruler Ivan V). Anna's favorite was E. Biron. In the political life of the country, the guards officers began to play a decisive role, who were the backbone and driving force of all palace coups. They were opposed to any limitation of imperial power, from which they directly received lands, awards, etc. for their services. Supreme Privy Council, the highest government body since 1726.
Ivan VI Antonovich was on the throne for only a few months. He was the nephew of Anna Ioannovna. When proclaimed emperor, he was only six months old. At first, E. Biron was regent under him, and after his forcible removal by Field Marshal Minich, his mother Anna Leopoldovna, incapable of ruling, became regent. In 1741, the daughter of Peter I, Elizaveta Petrovna, overthrew the infant emperor and sent all his entourage into exile. She ruled from 1741 to 1761, relying on favorites and guards. Elizaveta Petrovna was not married and had no children. After her death in December 1761, Peter III, who was the natural grandson of Peter I, the son of his daughter Catherine, who died at the birth of the future Russian emperor, stayed on the throne for six months. All these rulers did not possess the virtues and energy of Peter the Great. Only Elizaveta Petrovna tried to imitate her outstanding father. Peter III was in June 1762 overthrown from the throne by his own wife Catherine and killed. Paul I was able to take the throne only after the death of his mother.
After the death of Peter I, the supreme power in the country was twice in the hands of minor children and five times in the hands of women, of whom only Elizabeth Petrovna and Catherine II ruled independently.

Slepchenko Olga Vladimirovna

The phenomenon of favoritism in the era of palace coups in Russia.

In dictionaries, the term "favorite" is defined as "favorite; a person patronized by a powerful or influential person, a temporary worker ", and also as" a favorite of a high-ranking person who benefits from such patronage " .

Favoritism is a kind of universal characteristic of the system of government of an absolutist state, which should be fully considered an informal institution of power. The favorite, as a rule, was in close personal relations with the sovereign and, in connection with this, received the opportunity to dispose of part of his unlimited power. Favoritism was one of the essential instruments in the absolutist system of government. It should be defined as an appointment to government posts and positions, based on the personal interest of the monarch in the activities of a particular person. At the same time, favoritism is always a violation of the general principle of appointment to public office. At the same time, he himself was the principle of the functioning of the absolutist state. The favorite could confine himself to organizing his personal affairs, representing a type of "random person."

At the same time, having certain personal qualities: the ability to take risks, political intuition, entrepreneurial spirit and, finally, the desire to serve the Tsar and the Fatherland, the leader could carry out his state activities, correlating it with the objective needs of the country and make a significant contribution to the implementation of the political course.

Favoritism has become widespread almost all over the world. Russia is no exception. The boyar Prince V. V. Golitsyn opened a galaxy of official favorites under the "ladies' personas". The favorite of Princess Sophia, being the "First Minister", led the Posolsky and a number of other orders .

Under Peter Iwith his talents and colossal efficiency, the “position” of the favorite was impossible and unnecessary. His "Charter on the Succession to the Throne", adopted in 1722, gave equal rights to the throne to all members of the Romanov family. This led to the fact that after the death of PeterIthe "Era of palace coups" began, when people who had only a partial idea of ​​\u200b\u200bhow to manage a state like Russia began to be erected on the Russian throne.

Favoritism gained considerable momentum when women were enthroned. Favorites acted not only as lovers of the reigning persons, but also as their assistants. The degree of their influence on state affairs was different, but they all used their position, first of all, for personal enrichment and career. They influenced the appointment and dismissal of persons to government posts, “repaired the court and reprisals”, influenced the appointment of salaries, asked the empresses for awards for themselves and their protégés, etc.

All the women who ruled after Peter had favorites.Iand even with him. It is known that the chamber - Junker at the court of Empress Ekaterina Alekseevna Willim Johann Mons became her favorite. In his hands gradually concentrated the affairs of managing the villages and villages that belonged to the empress. He supervised the work of the abbesses of those convents that were under the patronage of the queen. They began to send him reports on estates, estimates of income and expenses. Funds for construction, sales and purchases on Catherine's estates went through his hands.

Despite the fact that Mons showed himself to be an intelligent and accurate performer of the tasks assigned to him, he was young, good-looking, was known as an outstanding craftsman in flirting, writing love letters, wasting compliments. Being constantly next to Catherine, he could not help but attract her attention and favor.

However, historians do not have direct evidence that this attention developed into an intimate relationship. Indirect evidence is the death sentence to the chamberlain pronounced by Peter.

Elizaveta Petrovna limited herself to two official favorites: A. G. Razumovsky and I. I. Shuvalov. They were people of different social status, different levels of education. Both were endowed with enormous power and skillfully used it, they had huge property "grants" from Elizabeth. At the same time, both favorites of the queen tried to remain in the shadows, did not strive for ranks and titles, did not beg them from the empress.

Under Catherine IIFavoritism reached unprecedented proportions. In accordance with her temperament and mores, by her tendency to do everything broadly, she gave this traditional order of things on the Russian throne unprecedented dimensions,she had 19 official favorites..

There were periods in Russian history when the influence of the favorites on the policy of the state was very significant. Among these periods is the era of the reign of Anna Ioannovna, called "Bironism" - after the name of the influential favorite E. Biron.

He was a strong, flexible, energetic and at the same time cruel, vindictive man, spoiled by the enormous power he had inherited. His personality and activities vividly reflected his era - the time of the conflict between the old and the new, the confrontation between his own and others.

Biron owed his rise to the empress's deep personal affection for him.Anna Ioannovna could not take a single step without her favorite, who had an immeasurable influence on the queen, who did not have her own views on the affairs of the empire.

The theme of favoritism is very interesting and important to consider, since by studying it, one can trace the influence of favorites, empresses on the political life of the country, on the course of development of the history of the Russian State. Often, using the confidence of the queens, the favorites came to the forefront of state activity, made decisions of great importance, determined the life of the country.

In general, favoritism inflicted enormous material damage on Russia and led to the transfer of power from the true rulers to people who had nothing to do with the royal court.

Dictionary of foreign words. M., 1964. S. 667; Russian history. Educational dictionary-reference book. M., 1996. S. 259.

Coups and wars / Christopher Manstein. Burchard Minich. Ernst Minich. Unknown author. M., 1997. P.35.

Catherine (1725-1727). Lesson goals. Anna Ioannovna (1730 -1740). Policy towards the Cossacks. Peter III Fedorovich (1761-1762). Compare the nature of the reign of Peter I and his successors. Changes in the system of city government. standard requirements. Peter II (1727-1730). Elizaveta Petrovna (1741-1761). Find factories on the map. Policy in the field of manufactory production. Lesson plan. Table form.

"The era of palace coups 1725-1762" - Dictionary. Pyotr Fedorovich (1761-1762). Ekaterina Alekseevna (1762-1796). Palace coups 1725 - 1762 Palace revolutions. Lesson plan. Who is the contender for the throne. Catherine I (1725-1727). Conditions are the conditions for an invitation to the throne. Who was the actual ruler of the state. The princely family that actually ruled Russia under Peter II. Homework. 1730 "Verkhovniki" (Supreme Privy Council).

"Russia in the era of palace coups" - Head of the Spiritual Board. The Supreme Privy Council has been abolished. The period of the reign of Peter II. Election of a new head of state. Hopes were not justified. Minich. Formation of the nobility. A coup in favor of the daughter of Peter I. A decree limiting the term of service to the state - 25 years. Field Marshal Minich. Decree on the abolition of internal customs duties. Vice Chancellor. Supreme Privy Council. Ivan Antonovich. Anton-Ulrich. Charter on the succession to the throne.

"Peter III" - Childhood. The reign of Peter III. Fidget Little-bred Bezzloben gullible. Events of Peter III. Reasons for the death of Peter III. A worthless monarch who had a negative attitude towards everything Russian - Catherine II, S.M. Soloviev, V.O. Klyuchevsky. Prussian influence. Yakov Yakovlevich Shtelin revealed a complete lack of knowledge. Peter III in the assessments of historians and contemporaries. participants in the conspiracy. Instructions of Chancellor A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin.

"The era of palace coups" - Battle of the village of Kunersdorf. Anna Ivanovna. Elizabeth Petrovna. Menshikov. The era of palace coups. Domestic policy. rulers. "Anti-Bironic" coalition. Battle near the village of Zorndorf. Major favourites. Seven Years' War. Palace coup. Catherine. John VI Antonovich. Peter. Battle near the village of Gross-Egersdorf. Supreme Privy Council. Russian - Swedish war. Polish heritage. Favorism in the Age of the Palace.

"Peter 3" - Heir to the throne. By decree of February 21, 1762, Peter III abolished the Secret Chancellery. Emperor Peter III. Foreign policy of Peter III. The manifesto on the freedom of the nobility for the first time created in Russia a layer of free people, independent of the state. CONSPIRACY. Policy of Peter III. Grand Duke Pyotr Fedorovich. The overthrow of Peter III. Prince Pyotr Fedorovich. Empress Elizabeth seriously considered declaring her great-nephew the heir.

The overstrain of the country's forces during the years of Peter the Great's transformations, the destruction of traditions, and the violent methods of reform caused an ambiguous attitude of various circles of Russian society towards the Peter's heritage and created the conditions for political instability.

From 1725, after the death of Peter and until Catherine II came to power in 1762, six monarchs and many political forces behind them were replaced on the throne. This change did not always take place in a peaceful and legal way. Therefore, Klyuchevsky V. O. called this period "the era of palace coups."

The main reason that formed the basis of the palace coups was the contradictions between various noble groups in relation to the Peter's heritage. The split occurred along the line of acceptance and rejection of reforms. Both the new nobility, which came to the fore during the reign of Peter, and the aristocracy tried to soften the course of reforms. But each of them defended its narrow-class interests and privileges, which created a fertile ground for internal political struggle. Palace coups were generated by a sharp struggle of various factions for power. As a rule, it was reduced to the nomination and support of one or another candidate for the throne. An active role in the political life of the country at that time began to play the guard, which Peter brought up as a privileged support of the autocracy. now she assumed the right to control the conformity of the personality and policies of the monarch to the legacy that the emperor left. The alienation of the masses from politics and their passivity served as fertile ground for palace intrigues and coups. To a large extent, palace coups were provoked by the unresolved problem of succession to the throne in connection with the adoption of the Decree of 1722, which broke the traditional mechanism for the transfer of power.

The reign of Catherine 1.1725 - 1727.

Dying, Peter did not leave an heir. The opinion of the upper classes about his successor was divided: the "chicks of Petrov's nest" A.D. Menshikov, P.A. Tolstoy, P.I. , - for the grandson of Peter Alekseevich. The outcome of the dispute was decided by the guards, who supported the empress.

The accession of Catherine led to a sharp increase in the role of Menshikov, who became the de facto ruler of the country. Attempts to somewhat curb his lust for power with the help of the

The Supreme Privy Council (VTS), to which the first boards and the Senate were subordinate, did not lead to anything.

The temporary worker decided to strengthen his position by marrying his daughter to Peter's young grandson. P. Tolstoy, who opposed this plan, ended up in prison.

In May 1727, Catherine died, appointing Peter Alekseevich, the grandson of Peter, as her successor.

The reign of Peter II.1727 - 1730.

Peter was declared emperor under the regency of the military-technical cooperation. Menshikov's influence at court increased, he even received the rank of generalissimo. But, pushing away old allies and not gaining new ones, he soon lost influence on the young emperor (with the help of Dolgoruky and A.I. Osterman, a member of the military-technical cooperation), and in September 1727 he was arrested and exiled with his family to Berezov, where he soon died. The overthrow of Menshikov was essentially a coup d'état, since the composition of the military-technical cooperation (in which aristocratic families began to predominate) changed, and Osterman began to play a key role; the regency of the military-technical cooperation was put an end to, Peter II declared himself a full-fledged ruler; a course was outlined aimed at revising Peter's reforms.

Soon the court left St. Petersburg and moved to Moscow, which attracted the emperor by the presence of richer hunting grounds. The sister of the tsar's favorite, Ekaterina Dolgorukaya, was betrothed to the emperor, but during preparations for the wedding, he died of smallpox. The question of succession to the throne arose again, since there was no will again.

The reign of Anna Ioannovna. 1730-1740

In the conditions of the political crisis, the military-technical cooperation, which by that time consisted of 8 people (5 seats belonged to the Dolgoruky and Golitsyns), invited the niece of Peter I, the Duchess of Courland Anna Ioannovna (a widow, did not have strong ties in Russia) to the throne. After meeting in Mitava with V. L. Dolgoruky, Anna Ioannovna, agreeing to accept the throne, signed condition that limited her power:

Undertook to rule together with the military-technical cooperation, which actually turned into the supreme governing body of the country;

- without the approval of the military-technical cooperation, she did not have the right to legislate, impose taxes, dispose of the treasury, declare war and make peace, grant and take away estates, ranks above the rank of colonel;

- the guard was subordinate to the military-technical cooperation;

- Anna undertook not to marry and not to appoint an heir;

- in case of non-fulfillment of any of these conditions, she was deprived of the crown.

However, having arrived in Moscow, Anna Ioannovna very quickly figured out the difficult domestic political situation (various noble groups proposed projects for the political reorganization of Russia) and, having found the support of part of the nobility and the guard, she broke the conditions and restored the autocracy in full.

A.I. Politics:

- liquidated the military-technical cooperation, creating instead the Cabinet of Ministers headed by Osterman;

- since 1735, she equated the signature of the Empress with the signatures of three cabinet ministers,

- repressed Dolgoruky and Golitsyn;

- Satisfied some requirements of the nobility:

a) limited the term of service to 25 years,

b) canceled that part of the Decree on single inheritance, which limited the right of the nobles to dispose of the estate during inheritance;

c) made it easier to obtain an officer's rank by allowing infants to be enrolled in military service

d) created a cadet noble corps, after which officer ranks were awarded.

- by decree of 1836, all working people, including civilians, were declared "eternally given", i.e. became dependent on the owners of factories.

Not trusting the Russian nobility and not having the desire and ability to delve into state affairs herself, A.I. surrounded herself with people from the Baltic states. Her favorite E. Biron played a key role. Some historians call the reign of A. I. "Bironism", believing that its main feature was the dominance of the Germans, who neglected the interests of the state, demonstrated contempt for everything Russian and pursued a policy of arbitrariness in relation to the Russian nobility.

In 1740, A.I. died, appointing her niece Anna Leopoldovna, the baby John Antonovich (Ivan YI), as the heir to her son. Biron was appointed regent under him. The head of the military collegium, Field Marshal Munnich, carried out another coup d'etat, pushing Biron aside, but, in turn, was pushed out of power by Osterman.

The reign of Elizabeth Petrovna.1741-1761.

On November 25, 1741, Peter's daughter, relying on the support of the guards, carried out another coup d'état and seized power. The features of this coup were that E.P. had broad support from ordinary people of the cities and the lower guards, and also that this coup had a patriotic coloring, because. was directed against the dominance of a foreigner, and foreign diplomats (French Chetardie and Swedish ambassador Nolken) tried to take part in its preparation.

E.P. Policy:

- restored the institutions created by Peter and their status: abolishing the Cabinet of Ministers, returned the importance of the highest state body to the Senate, restored Berg - and Manufactory - collegiums.

- brought the Russian and Ukrainian nobles closer, who were distinguished by their great interest in the affairs of the country. Thus, with the active assistance of I. I. Shuvalov, Moscow University was opened in 1755;

- internal customs were destroyed, import duties were increased (protectionism)

- on the initiative of I. Shuvalov, a transition began from the poll tax (a direct tax, which was paid only by peasants and townspeople) to indirect taxes (which were also paid by all non-taxable estates).

- Revenues from the sale of salt and wine have tripled;

- the death penalty was abolished

- social policy was aimed at turning the nobility into a privileged class and strengthening serfdom, which resulted in landowners obtaining the right to sell their peasants as recruits (1747) and exile them to Siberia (1760).

Russia joined the coalition of Austria, France, Sweden and Saxony in the war against Prussia.

The Seven Years' War began in 1756, ended in 1763 and brought the army of Frederick II to the brink of disaster, and only the death of E.P. on December 25, 1761 saved Prussia from complete defeat. Her heir, Peter III, who idolized Frederick, left the coalition and concluded a peace treaty, returning to Prussia all the lands lost in the war.

During the 20 years of H.P.’s reign, the country managed to rest and accumulate strength for a new breakthrough, which fell on the era of Catherine II.

The reign of Peter III. 1761 - 1762

E.P.'s nephew, Peter III (the son of Anna's elder sister and the Duke of Holstein) was born in Holstein and from childhood was brought up in hostility to everything Russian and reverence for German. By 1742, he turned out to be an orphan and E.P. invited him to Russia, immediately appointing him as her heir. In 1745 he was married to Anhalt-Zerbian princess Sophia Frederica Augusta (Ekaterina Alekseevna).

Peter turned against himself the nobility and the guards with his pro-German sympathies, unbalanced behavior, the signing of peace with Frederick, the introduction of Prussian uniforms, and his plans to send the guards to fight for the interests of the Prussian king in Denmark.

In 1762, he signed a manifesto on the granting of liberties and freedom to the Russian nobility, which

Then he abolished the Secret Investigative Office;

- stopped the persecution of schismatics,

- made a decision on the secularization of church and monastery lands,

- prepared a decree on the equalization of all religions.

All these measures met the objective needs of Russia's development and reflected the interests of the nobility.

But his personal behavior, indifference and even dislike for Russia, mistakes in foreign policy and an insulting attitude towards his wife, who managed to gain respect from the nobility and guards, created the preconditions for his overthrow. Preparing the coup, Catherine was guided not only by political pride, a thirst for power and the instinct of self-preservation, but also by the desire to serve Russia.

Foreign policy of Russia in the middle of the 18th century.

Tasks: maintaining access to the Baltic Sea; influence on Poland and the solution of the Black Sea problem.

1733-1734. As a result of Russia's participation in the "war for the Polish heritage", it was possible to put the Russian protege August 3 on the Polish throne.

1735-1739. As a result of the war with Turkey, Russia returned Azov.

1741-1743. The war with Sweden, which sought to take revenge for the defeat in the Northern War and return the coast of the Baltic Sea. Russian troops captured almost all of Finland and forced Sweden to abandon revenge.

1756-1762. Seven Years' War.

Russia was drawn into a war between two European coalitions - Russian-French-Austrian and Anglo-Prussian. The main reason is the strengthening of Prussia in Europe. In August 1757, the Russian army under the command of Field Marshal S. F. Apraksin, only thanks to the corps of P. A. Rumyantsev, defeated the Prussian army near the village of Gross-Egersdorf. Without continuing the offensive, the army retreated to Memel. Elizabeth deposed Apraksin. The new commander-in-chief V.V. Fermor in the winter of 1758 occupied Koenigsberg. In the summer, in the battle of Zorndorf, the Russian army lost 22.6 thousand (out of 42 thousand), and the Prussian 11 thousand (out of 32 thousand). The battle ended almost in a draw. In 1759, the Russian army was replenished with new guns - "unicorns" (light, mobile, rapid-fire), General P. A. Saltykov became the new commander. On August 1, 1759, Russian-Austrian troops defeated the Prussian army near the village of Kunersdorf. P

In 1760, the detachments of Totleben and Chernyshov captured Berlin. Prussia's position was hopeless. Russia announced its intention to annex East Prussia. Having ascended the throne after the death of Elizabeth, Peter 3 broke with the allies and made peace with Frederick, returning all the occupied territories.

The results of the era of "palace coups"

Palace coups did not entail changes in the political, and even more so the social system of society and boiled down to the struggle for power of various noble groups pursuing their own, most often selfish, goals. At the same time, the policy of each of the six monarchs had its own characteristics, sometimes important for the country. In general, socio-economic stabilization and foreign policy successes achieved during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna created the conditions for more accelerated development.

The era of palace coups in Russia.

In 1725, the Russian Emperor Peter I died without leaving a legitimate heir and without transferring the throne to the chosen one. Over the next 37 years, his relatives - contenders for the Russian throne - fought for power. This period in history is called era of palace coups».

A feature of the period of "palace coups" is that the transfer of supreme power in the state was carried out not by inheriting the crown, but was carried out by guardsmen or courtiers using forceful methods.

Such confusion arose due to the lack of clearly defined rules for succession to the throne in a monarchical country, which caused a struggle between supporters of one or another applicant among themselves.

The era of palace coups 1725-1762.

After Peter the Great, the following sat on the Russian throne:

• Catherine I - wife of the emperor,
• Peter II - grandson of the emperor,
• Anna Ioannovna - the emperor's niece,
• Ioann Antonovich - great-nephew of the previous one,
• Elizaveta Petrovna - daughter of Peter I,
• Peter III - the nephew of the previous one,
• Catherine II is the wife of the previous one.

In general, the era of upheavals lasted from 1725 to 1762.

Catherine I (1725–1727).

One part of the nobility, headed by A. Menshikov, wanted to see the second wife of the Emperor Catherine on the throne. The other part is the grandson of Emperor Peter Alekseevich. The dispute was won by those who were supported by the guard - the first. Under Catherine, A. Menshikov played an important role in the state.

In 1727, the Empress died, appointing the young Peter Alekseevich as successor on the throne.

Peter II (1727–1730).

Young Peter became emperor under the regency of the Supreme Privy Council. Gradually Menshikov lost his influence and was exiled. Soon the regency was canceled - Peter II declared himself ruler, the court returned to Moscow.

Shortly before the wedding with Catherine Dolgoruky, the emperor died of smallpox. There was no will.

Anna Ioannovna (1730–1740).

The Supreme Council invited the niece of Peter I, the Duchess of Courland Anna Ioannovna, to rule in Russia. The challenger agreed to conditions that limited her power. But in Moscow, Anna quickly settled in, enlisted the support of part of the nobility and violated the previously signed agreement, returning the autocracy. However, it was not she who ruled, but the favorites, the most famous of which is E. Biron.

In 1740, Anna died, having chosen the baby John Antonovich (Ivan VI) as the heir to her great-nephew under the regent Biron.

The coup was carried out by Field Marshal Munnich, the fate of the child is still unclear.

Elizaveta Petrovna (1741-1761).

Again, the guards helped the native daughter of Peter I seize power. On the night of November 25, 1741, Elizabeth Petrovna, who was also supported by commoners, was literally brought to the throne. The coup had a bright patriotic coloring. His main goal was to remove foreigners from power in the country. The policy of Elizabeth Petrovna was aimed at continuing the affairs of her father.

Peter III (1761–1762).

Peter III is the orphaned nephew of Elizabeth Petrovna, the son of Anna Petrovna and the Duke of Holstein. In 1742 he was invited to Russia and became heir to the throne.

During the life of Elizabeth, Peter was married to his cousin, Princess Sophia Frederica Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbskaya, the future Catherine II.

Peter's policy after the death of his aunt was aimed at an alliance with Prussia. The behavior of the emperor and his love for the Germans alienated the Russian nobility.

It was the emperor's wife who completed the 37-year leapfrog on the Russian throne. She was again supported by the army - the Izmailovsky and Semenovsky guards regiments. Catherine was brought to the throne as once - Elizabeth.

Catherine proclaimed herself Empress in June 1762, and both the Senate and the Synod swore allegiance to her. Peter III signed the abdication.

General characteristics of the era of palace coups

The era of palace coups is a time period (37 years) in the political life of Russia in the 18th century, when the seizure of political power was carried out by a series of palace coups. The reason for this was the lack of clear rules for succession to the throne, accompanied by the struggle of court factions and carried out, as a rule, with the assistance of the guards regiments. The desire of the nobles and boyars to regain the power, freedom and privileges lost under Peter I. The overstrain of the country's forces during the years of Peter the Great's reforms, the destruction of traditions, and the violent methods of reform caused an ambiguous attitude of various circles of Russian society towards the Peter's heritage and created the conditions for political instability.
From 1725, after the death of Peter I and until Catherine II came to power in 1762, six monarchs and many political forces behind them were replaced on the throne. This change did not always take place in a peaceful and legal way, which is why this period of V.O. Klyuchevsky, not entirely accurately, but figuratively and aptly, called the “epoch of palace coups”.

The struggle for power after the death of Peter I

Dying, Peter did not leave an heir, having only time to write with a weakening hand: “Give everything ...”. The opinion of the leaders about his successor was divided. “Chicks of Petrov’s Nest” (A.D. Menshikov, P.A. Tolstoy, I.I. Buturlin, P.I. Yaguzhinsky and others) spoke for his second wife Ekaterina, and representatives of the noble nobility (D.M.

Golitsyn, V.V. Dolgoruky and others) defended the candidacy of their grandson, Pyotr Alekseevich. The outcome of the dispute was decided by the guards, who supported the empress.
The accession of Catherine 1 (1725-1727) led to a sharp strengthening of the position of Menshikov, who became the de facto ruler of the country. Attempts to somewhat curb his lust for power and greed with the help of the Supreme Privy Council (STC) created under the Empress, to which the first three colleges, as well as the Senate, were subordinate, did not lead to anything. Moreover, the temporary worker decided to strengthen his position by marrying his daughter to Peter's young grandson. P. Tolstoy, who opposed this plan, ended up in prison.
In May 1727, Catherine 1 died and, according to her will, 12-year-old Peter II (1727-1730) became emperor under the regency of the military-technical cooperation. Menshikov's influence at court increased, and he even received the coveted rank of generalissimo. But, pushing away old allies and not acquiring new ones among the noble nobility, he soon lost influence on the young emperor and in September 1727 was arrested and exiled with his whole family to Berezovo, where he soon died.
A significant role in discrediting the personality of Menshikov in the eyes of the young emperor was played by the Dolgoruky, as well as a member of the military-technical cooperation, the tutor of the tsar, nominated for this position by Menshikov himself - A.I. Osterman is a clever diplomat who, depending on the alignment of forces and the political situation, was able to change his views, allies and patrons.
The overthrow of Menshikov was, in essence, an actual palace coup, because the composition of the military-technical cooperation changed, in which aristocratic families (Dolgoruky and Golitsyn) began to predominate, and A.I. began to play a key role. Osterman; the regency of the MTC was put an end to, Peter II declared himself a full-fledged ruler, who was surrounded by new favorites; a course was outlined aimed at revising the reforms of Peter I.
Soon the court left St. Petersburg and moved to Moscow, which attracted the emperor by the presence of richer hunting grounds. The sister of the tsar's favorite, Catherine Dolgorukaya, was betrothed to Peter II, but while preparing for the wedding, he died of smallpox. And again the question of the heir to the throne arose, because. with the death of Peter II, the male line of the Romanovs ended, and he did not have time to appoint a successor.

Prerequisites for palace coups

The main reason that formed the basis of the palace coups was the contradictions between various noble groups in relation to the Peter's heritage. It would be a simplification to consider that the split occurred along the lines of acceptance and rejection of reforms. Both the so-called “new nobility”, which had come to the fore in the years of Peter the Great thanks to their service zeal, and the aristocratic party tried to soften the course of reforms, hoping in one form or another to give a respite to society, and first of all, to themselves. But each of these groups defended its narrow class interests and privileges, which created a fertile ground for internal political struggle.
Palace coups were generated by a sharp struggle of various factions for power. As a rule, it came down most often to the nomination and support of one or another candidate for the throne.
At that time, the guards began to play an active role in the political life of the country, which Peter brought up as a privileged “support” of the autocracy, who, moreover, assumed the right to control the conformity of the personality and policy of the monarch to the legacy that her “beloved emperor” left.
The alienation of the masses from politics and their passivity served as fertile ground for palace intrigues and coups.
To a large extent, palace coups were provoked by the unresolved problem of succession to the throne in connection with the adoption of the Decree of 1722, which broke the traditional mechanism for the transfer of power.

Background of the palace coup

Causes of palace coups

1) Contradictions between various noble groups in relation to the Petrine heritage. 2) The sharp struggle of various groups for power, which most often boiled down to the nomination and support of one or another candidate for the throne. 3) The active position of the guard, which Peter brought up as a privileged support of autocracy, which, moreover, took upon itself the right to control the conformity of the personality and policy of the monarch to the legacy that her beloved emperor left. 4) The passivity of the masses, absolutely far from the political life of the capital. 5) Aggravation of the problem of succession to the throne in connection with the adoption of the Decree of 1722, which broke the traditional mechanism for the transfer of power.

1) Moving away from the national political tradition, according to which the throne is only for the direct heirs of the king, Peter himself prepared a crisis of power. 2) A large number of direct and indirect heirs claimed the Russian throne after the death of Peter; 3) The existing corporate interests of the nobility and tribal nobility manifested themselves in their entirety. When analyzing the era of palace coups, it is important to pay attention to the following points. Firstly, the initiators of the coups were various palace groups that sought to elevate their protege to the throne. Secondly, the most important consequence of the coups was the strengthening of the economic and political positions of the nobility. Thirdly, the guards were the driving force behind the coups. Indeed, it was the Guard during the period under review that decided the question of who should be on the throne.

Supreme Privy Council

SUPREME PRIVATE COUNCIL - the highest body of state power in the Russian Empire (1726-1730); It was created by decree of Catherine I Alekseevna on February 8, 1726, formally as an advisory body to the Empress, in fact, it decided all the most important state affairs. During the accession of Empress Anna Ivanovna, the Supreme Privy Council tried to limit the autocracy in its favor, but was dissolved.

After the death of Emperor Peter I the Great (1725), his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna ascended the throne. She was not able to independently govern the state and created from among the most prominent associates of the late emperor the Supreme Privy Council, which was supposed to advise the empress what to do in this or that case. Gradually, the solution of all the most important domestic and foreign policy issues was included in the sphere of competence of the Supreme Privy Council. Collegiums were subordinated to him, and the role of the Senate was reduced, which was reflected, in particular, in the renaming from the "Governing Senate" to the "High Senate".

Initially, the Supreme Privy Council consisted of A.D. Menshikov, P.A. Tolstoy, A.I. Osterman, F.M. Apraksina, G.I. Golovkina, D.M. Golitsyn and Duke Karl Friedrich Holstein-Gottorp (son-in-law of the Empress, husband of Tsarina Anna Petrovna). A struggle for influence unfolded between them, in which A.D. won. Menshikov. Ekaterina Alekseevna agreed to the marriage of the heir to Tsarevich Peter with Menshikov's daughter. In April 1727 A.D. Menshikov achieved the disgrace of P.A. Tolstoy, Duke Karl-Friedrich was sent home. However, after the accession to the throne of Peter II Alekseevich (May 1727), A.D. Menshikov and the Supreme Privy Council included A.G. and V.L. Dolgorukovs, and in 1730 after the death of F.M. Apraksina - M.M. Golitsyn and V.V. Dolgorukov.

The internal policy of the Supreme Privy Council was aimed mainly at solving the problems associated with the socio-economic crisis that the country was going through after the long Northern War and the reforms of Peter I, primarily in the financial sector. The members of the council ("supervisors") critically assessed the results of Peter's reforms, recognized the need to correct them in accordance with the real possibilities of the country. The focus of the Supreme Privy Council was the financial issue, which the leaders tried to solve in two directions: by streamlining the system of accounting and control of state revenues and expenditures and by saving money. The leaders discussed the issues of improving the systems of taxation and public administration created by Peter, reducing the army and navy, and other measures aimed at replenishing the state budget. The collection of the poll tax and recruits was shifted from the army to the civil authorities, military units were withdrawn from the countryside to the cities, some of the officers from the nobility were sent on long vacations without payment of monetary salaries. The capital of the state was again moved to Moscow.

In order to save money, the leaders liquidated a number of local institutions (court courts, offices of zemstvo commissars, waldmeister offices), and reduced the number of local employees. Some of the petty officials who did not have a class rank were deprived of their salaries, and they were asked to "feed from their work." Along with this, the positions of governor were restored. The leaders tried to revive domestic and foreign trade, allowed previously prohibited trade through the port of Arkhangelsk, lifted restrictions on trade in a number of goods, canceled many restrictive duties, created favorable conditions for foreign merchants, revised the protectionist customs tariff of 1724. In 1726, an alliance treaty was concluded with Austria, which for several decades determined Russia's behavior in the international arena.

In January 1730, after the death of Peter II, the leaders invited the Dowager Duchess of Courland Anna Ivanovna to the Russian throne. At the same time, on the initiative of D.M.

Golitsyn, it was decided to reform the political system of Russia through the virtual elimination of the autocracy and the introduction of a limited Swedish-style monarchy. To this end, the leaders suggested that the future empress sign special conditions - “conditions”, according to which she was deprived of the opportunity to independently make political decisions: make peace and declare war, appoint to government posts, change the taxation system. Real power passed to the Supreme Privy Council, whose composition was to be expanded by representatives of the highest officials, the generals and the aristocracy. The nobility as a whole supported the idea of ​​limiting the absolute power of the autocrat. However, the negotiations between the leaders and Anna Ivanovna were conducted in secret, which aroused suspicion among the mass of nobles of a conspiracy to usurp power in the hands of aristocratic families represented in the Supreme Privy Council (Golitsyn, Dolgoruky). The lack of unity among the supporters of the leaders allowed Anna Ivanovna, who arrived in Moscow, relying on the guards and part of the court officials, to carry out a coup: on February 25, 1730, the empress broke the “conditions”, and on March 4, the Supreme Privy Council was abolished. Later, most of the members of the Supreme Privy Council (with the exception of Osterman and Golovkin, who did not support the Golitsyns and Dolgorukovs) were subjected to repression.

Causes of palace coups

It is believed that the era of palace coups in Russia was prepared by Peter I, who issued a decree on succession to the throne in 1722. This decree allowed any relative of the emperor, regardless of gender and age, to claim the royal throne. Because families in the 18th century were large, then, as a rule, there were many candidates for the imperial crown: wives and children, cousins, grandchildren and nephews ... The absence of a single legitimate heir led to increased palace intrigues, the struggle for power.

Features of palace coups

The role of the guard

In the struggle for power, the one who was supported by the guard, who was called to protect the capital and the imperial palace, won. It was the guards regiments that became the main force behind the palace coups. Therefore, every pretender to the throne, seeking to enlist the support of the guardsmen, promised them money, estates and new privileges.

In 1714, Peter I issued a decree banning nobles who did not serve as privates in the guards as officers.

Therefore, by 1725, in the guards regiments, not only officers, but also most of the privates were from the nobility. Due to their social homogeneity, the guard was able to become the main force in palace coups.

Guards units during this period were the most privileged in the Russian army. The guardsmen did not participate in hostilities, they carried out exclusively ceremonial and palace service in the capital. The salary of the privates of the guard was much higher than that of the officers of the army and navy.

Favoritism

Often, as a result of a palace coup, persons who were not prepared to govern the state turned out to be on the throne. Therefore, the consequence of the coups was favoritism, that is, the rise of one or more favorites of the monarch, who concentrated enormous power and wealth in their hands.

The social system of Russia

It should be noted an important feature of the palace revolutions: they did not lead to significant changes in the social system of Russia. Emperors and favorites changed, accents in domestic and foreign policy, but the following always remained unchanged: a) the absolute power of the monarch; b) serfdom; c) the political lack of rights of the people; d) a course towards expanding the privileges of the nobility at the expense of other estates. The stability of power was ensured by the growing and strengthening bureaucracy.

History of palace coups

On this page, material on the topics:

• Video palace coups after the death of Peter 1: sequence and reasons

• The role of the guard in palace coups

• The era of palace coups table way of coming to power

• The fourth palace coup in Russia

• Explain why the palace coup d'état domestic politics was ruled by a monarchy

Questions for this article:

• Why was Peter I forced to issue a decree on succession to the throne?

• What major events took place in 1740, 1741, 1741-1743, 1756-1763, 1761, 1762?

• What is a palace coup?

• What are the causes and features of palace coups in Russia?

• What role did the guards play in palace coups?

• What is favoritism?

• Make a table "The era of palace coups."

• How did the strengthening of the positions of the Russian nobility take place in 1725-1761?

Material from the site http://WikiWhat.ru

Palace coups: causes and main events

The death of Emperor Peter I in 1725 led to a long crisis of power. According to the figurative expression of V. O. Klyuchevsky, this period of our history was called "palace coups". For 37 years from the death of Peter I to the accession of Catherine II (1725-1762), the throne was occupied by six reigning persons who received the throne as a result of complex palace intrigues or coups.

Causes of palace coups:

1. moving away from the national political tradition, according to which the throne passed only to the direct heirs of the king, Peter himself prepared a “crisis of power” (by not implementing the Decree of 1722 on the succession to the throne, without appointing himself an heir);

2. after the death of Peter, a large number of direct and indirect heirs claimed the Russian throne;

3. the existing corporate interests of the nobility and noble nobility manifested themselves in their entirety.

Palace coups that they were not state coups, that is, they did not pursue the goal of radical changes in political power and state structure

When analyzing the era of palace coups, it is important to pay attention to the following points.

1. The initiators of the coups were various palace groups that sought to elevate their protege to the throne.

2. The most important consequence of the palace coups was the strengthening of the economic and political positions of the nobility.

3. The guard was the driving force behind the coups.

Catherine's reign I (1725-1727). The guards took the side of Catherine.

In 1726, under Catherine I, the Supreme Privy Council was established, which, according to the historian S. F. Platonov, replaced the Petrine Senate. The Supreme Privy Council included A.D. Menshikov, F.M. Apraksin, G.I. Golovkin, D.M. Golitsyn, A.I. Osterman and P.A. Tolstoy. The Council was not an oligarchic body limiting the autocracy. It remained a bureaucratic, albeit highly influential, institution in the system of absolutism, placed under the control of the empress.

During this period, the following happened:

Reduction of bureaucratic structures;

Revision of the customs tariff;

Changing the location of the army and its content;

Liquidation of the system of self-government;

Restoring the significance of the county as the main territorial-administrative unit;

Changing the taxation system, reducing the poll tax.

On the whole, the activities of Catherine I and her "supreme leaders" were characterized by the rejection of the broad reform program of Peter I, and the decrease in the role of the Senate. Trade and industry, having lost the financial and administrative support of the state in the post-Petrine era, were placed in unfavorable conditions. The beginning of the revision of the results of Peter's reforms.

Peter II (1727-1730). Shortly before her death in 1727, Catherine I signed a will that determined the sequence of succession to the throne. The closest heir was determined by Peter II.

The throne was occupied by 12-year-old Peter II under the regency of the Supreme Privy Council.

The Supreme Privy Council under Peter II underwent significant changes. In it, all the affairs were handled by the four princes Dolgoruky and two Golitsyns, as well as A. I. Osterman. Dolgoruky came to the fore. Peter II died on his wedding day (to Ivan Dolgoruky's sister Ekaterina). The Romanov dynasty ended in the male line. The issue of the emperor was to be decided by the Supreme Privy Council.

The short stay in power of the young Peter II did not introduce significant changes in the state and public life of Russian society. The transfer of the royal court from St. Petersburg to Moscow at the end of 1727, the abolition of the Chief Magistrate in 1728.

Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740). After long consultations, the leaders chose the senior line of the dynasty associated with the brother of Peter I - Ivan V.

Golitsyn and V. L. Dolgoruky developed the so-called conditions - the conditions under which Anna Ioannovna could accept the Russian crown from the hands of the leaders:

Do not issue new laws;

Do not start wars with anyone and do not conclude peace;

Loyal subjects should not be burdened with any taxes;

Do not dispose of the treasury income;

Noble ranks above the colonel's rank are not favored;

Do not take away the belly, estate and honor from the nobility;

Estates and villages do not favor.

Already two weeks after her arrival in Moscow, Anna broke the conditions in front of the leaders and announced "her perception of autocracy." The Supreme Privy Council in 1731 was replaced by a Cabinet of three ministers headed by A. I. Osterman. Four years later, Anna Ioannovna equated the signatures of three cabinet ministers with one of her own.

The main directions of domestic policy:

The abolition of the Supreme Privy Council and the return to the Senate of its former significance;

The return of the Petrovsky system of deployment of regiments in the provinces and the responsibility of the landowners for the payments of their peasants;

Continuation of the punitive policy towards the Old Believers;

Creation of a new body - the Cabinet of Ministers (1731);

Resumption of the activities of the Secret Chancellery;

Establishment of the Corps of Cadets (1732), after which noble children received officer ranks;

Cancellation of the indefinite service of the nobles (1736). In addition, one of the sons of a noble family was released from service to manage the estate.

During the reign of Anna Ioannovna, the autocracy was strengthened, the duties of the nobles were reduced, and their rights over the peasants were expanded.

Ivan VI Antonovich. After the death of Anna Ioannovna in 1740, according to her will, the Russian throne was inherited by her great-grandson, Ivan Antonovich. Anna's favorite, E.I. Biron, was appointed regent until he came of age, and less than a month later he was arrested by the guards on the orders of Field Marshal B.K. Minich. His mother, Anna Leopoldovna, was proclaimed regent for the royal child.

Elizaveta Petrovna (1741-1761). Another coup d'état was carried out with the direct participation of the guardsmen of the Preobrazhensky Regiment.

The reign of Elizabeth was marked by the flourishing of favoritism. On the one hand, it was an indicator of the dependence of the nobility on royal generosity, and on the other hand, it was a kind of, albeit rather timid, attempt to adapt the state to the needs of the nobility.

During the reign of Elizabeth, certain transformations were carried out:

1. there was a significant expansion of noble benefits, the socio-economic and legal position of the Russian nobility was strengthened;

2. an attempt was made to restore some of the orders and state institutions created by Peter I. To this end, the Cabinet of Ministers was abolished, the functions of the Senate were significantly expanded, the Berg and Manufacture Colleges, the chief and city magistrates were restored;

3. eliminated many foreigners from the spheres of public administration and the education system;

4. a new supreme body was created - the Conference at the Imperial Court (1756) to resolve important state issues, which largely duplicated the functions of the Senate;

5. The Empress also tried to develop new legislation;

6. there was a tightening of religious policy.

On the whole, the reign of Elizabeth did not become the "second edition" of Petrovsky's policy. Elizabeth's policy was distinguished by caution, and in some aspects - and unusual gentleness. By refusing to sanction the death penalty, it was in fact the first in Europe to abolish the death penalty.

Peter III (December 25, 1761 - June 28, 1762). After the death of Elizabeth Petrovna in 1761, the 33-year-old Peter III became Emperor of Russia.

Peter III announced to Frederick II about Russia's intention to make peace with Prussia separately, without the allies of France and Austria (1762). Russia returned to Prussia all the lands occupied during the Seven Years' War, refused contributions to compensate for the losses incurred, and entered into an alliance with the former enemy. In addition, Peter began to prepare for an absolutely unnecessary Russian war with Denmark. In society, this was perceived as a betrayal of Russian national interests.

During the six-month reign of Peter III, 192 decrees were adopted.

The secularization of church lands in favor of the state was announced, which strengthened the state treasury (the decree was finally implemented by Catherine II in 1764);

He stopped the persecution of the Old Believers and wanted to equalize the rights of all religions.

Liquidation of the Secret Chancellery and return from exile and people convicted under Elizabeth Petrovna;

Trade monopolies that hampered the development of entrepreneurship were abolished;

Freedom of foreign trade was proclaimed, etc.

Politically wise and economically expedient, these internal transformations did not add to the emperor's popularity. His denial of everything Russian as "archaic", the break with traditions, the redrawing of many orders according to the Western model offended the national feelings of the Russian people. The fall of Emperor Peter III was a foregone conclusion, and it happened as a result of a palace coup on June 28, 1762. Peter was forced to abdicate, and a few days later he was killed.

Socio-economic development. A distinctive feature of the social development of Russia was a significant expansion of the privileges of the nobility, the receipt of which was facilitated by the relative instability of state power.

The 37-year period of political instability (1725-1762) that followed the death of Peter I was called the “era of palace coups”. During this period, the policy of the state was determined by separate groups of the palace nobility, which actively intervened in resolving the issue of the heir to the throne, fought among themselves for power, thus carrying out palace coups. Also, the decisive force in the palace coups was the guard, a privileged part of the regular army created by Peter (these are the famous Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments, in the 30s two new ones, Izmailovsky and Horse Guards, were added to them). Her participation decided the outcome of the case: on whose side the guard, that group won. The guard was not only a privileged part of the Russian army, it was a representative of the whole class (nobles), from whose midst it was almost exclusively formed and whose interests it represented. The reason for the intervention of certain groups of the palace nobility in the political life of the country was the Charter “on the succession to the throne” issued by Peter I on February 5, 1722, which abolished “both orders of succession to the throne that were in force before, and the testament, and conciliar election, replacing both with a personal appointment, discretion of the reigning sovereign. Peter I himself did not use this charter. He died on January 28, 1725, without appointing himself a successor. Therefore, immediately after his death, a struggle for power began between representatives of the ruling elite. Also, palace coups testified to the weakness of absolute power under the successors of Peter I, who could not continue the reforms with energy and in the spirit of the initiator and who could govern the state only relying on their close associates. Favoritism flourished during this period. Favorites-temporary workers received unlimited influence on the policy of the state.

The only heir of Peter I in the male line was his grandson - the son of the executed Tsarevich Alexei Peter. Around the grandson were grouped mainly representatives of the well-born feudal aristocracy, now a few boyar families. Among them, the leading role was played by the Golitsyns and Dolgoruky, and some associates of Peter I (Field Marshal Prince B.P. Sheremetev, Field Marshal Nikita Repnin, and others) joined them. But the wife of Peter I, Catherine, claimed the throne. The heirs were also two daughters of Peter - Anna (married to the Holstein prince) and Elizabeth - by that time still a minor. The ambiguity of the general situation contributed a lot to the decree of February 5, 1722, which abolished the old rules of succession to the throne and approved the personal will of the testator into law. The figures of the Petrine era, who were always at war with each other, rallied for a while around the candidacy of Catherine. They were: A.D. Menshikov, P.I. Yaguzhinsky, P.A. Tolstoy, A.V. Makarov, F. Prokopovich, I.I. Buturlin and others. The issue of a successor was resolved by the quick actions of A. Menshikov, who, relying on the guards, carried out the first palace coup in favor of Catherine I (1725-1727) and became an all-powerful temporary worker under her.

In 1727 Catherine I died. The throne, according to her will, passed to the 12-year-old Peter II (1727-1730). Affairs in the state continued to decide the Supreme Privy Council. However, there were rearrangements in it: Menshikov was removed and exiled with his family to the distant West Siberian city of Berezov, and the tutor of Tsarevich Osterman and two princes Dolgoruky and Golitsyn entered the Council. The favorite of Peter II was Ivan Dolgoruky, who had a huge influence on the young emperor.

In January 1730, Peter II dies of smallpox, and the question of a candidate for the throne again arises. The Supreme Privy Council, at the suggestion of D. Golitsyn, chose the niece of Peter I, the daughter of his brother Ivan, the Dowager Duchess of Courland Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740), but limited her power. The throne was offered to Anna by the "supervisors" on certain conditions - conditions, according to which the empress actually became a powerless puppet. The reign of Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740) is usually assessed as a kind of timelessness; the empress herself is characterized as a narrow-minded, uneducated woman, little interested in state affairs, who did not trust the Russians, and therefore brought a bunch of foreigners from Mitava and from various "German corners". “The Germans poured into Russia, like rubbish from a holey bag - they stuck around the courtyard, sat down on the throne, climbed into all the profitable places in management,” Klyuchevsky wrote. The guards, protesting against the conditions, demanded that Anna Ioannovna remain the same autocrat as her ancestors. Upon arrival in Moscow, Anna was already aware of the mood of wide circles of the nobility and guards. Therefore, on February 25, 1730, she broke the conditions and "became sovereign." Having become an autocrat, Anna Ioannovna hastened to find support for herself, mainly among foreigners who occupied the highest posts at the court, in the army and in the highest government. A number of Russian surnames also fell into the circle of persons devoted to Anna: relatives of the Saltykovs, P. Yaguzhinsky, A. Cherkassky, A. Volynsky, A. Ushakov. Mittava's favorite of Anna Biron became the de facto ruler of the country. In the system of power that developed under Anna Ioannovna, without Biron, her confidant, a rude and vindictive temporary worker, not a single important decision was made at all.

According to the will of Anna Ioannovna, her great-nephew, Ivan Antonovich of Braunschweig, was appointed her heir. Biron was appointed regent under him. Against the hated Biron, a palace coup was carried out just a few weeks later. The ruler under the minor Ivan Antonovich was proclaimed his mother Anna Leopoldovna. However, there were no changes in policy, all positions continued to remain in the hands of the Germans. On the night of November 25, 1741, the grenadier company of the Preobrazhensky Regiment carried out a palace coup in favor of Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter I (1741-1761). Under Elizabeth, there were no cardinal changes in the composition of the ruling elite of the state apparatus - only the most odious figures were removed. So, Elizabeth appointed A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, who at one time was Biron's right hand and creature. Among the highest Elizabethan dignitaries were also brother A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin and N.Yu. Trubetskoy, who by 1740 was the Prosecutor General of the Senate. The observed certain continuity of the highest circle of people who actually exercised control over the key issues of foreign and domestic policy testified to the continuity of this policy itself. Despite the similarity of this coup with similar palace coups in Russia in the 18th century. (apical character, guard strike force), he had a number of distinctive features. The striking force of the coup on November 25 was not just the guards, but the lower guards - people from the taxable estates, expressing the patriotic sentiments of the broad sections of the capital's population. The coup had a pronounced anti-German, patriotic character. Wide sections of Russian society, condemning the favoritism of the German temporary workers, turned their sympathies towards Peter's daughter, the Russian heiress. A feature of the palace coup on November 25 was the fact that the Franco-Swedish diplomacy tried to actively interfere in the internal affairs of Russia and, for offering help to Elizabeth in the struggle for the throne, to obtain from her certain political and territorial concessions, which meant a voluntary rejection of the conquests of Peter I.

Elizabeth Petrovna's successor was her nephew Karl-Peter-Ulrich - Duke of Holstein - the son of Elizabeth Petrovna's older sister - Anna, and therefore on the mother's side - the grandson of Peter I. He ascended the throne under the name of Peter III (1761-1762) February 18, 1762 The Manifesto was published on the award of "liberty and freedom to the entire Russian noble nobility", i.e. for exemption from compulsory service. The "Manifesto", which removed the age-old duty from the class, was received with enthusiasm by the nobility. Peter III issued Decrees on the abolition of the Secret Chancellery, on the permission to return to Russia to schismatics who had fled abroad, with a prohibition to prosecute them for schism. However, soon the policy of Peter III aroused discontent in society, restored the metropolitan society against him. The refusal of Peter III from all conquests during the victorious Seven Years' War with Prussia (1755-1762), which was waged by Elizaveta Petrovna, caused particular dissatisfaction among the officers. A conspiracy to overthrow Peter III matured in the guard. As a result of the latter in the XVIII century. The palace coup, carried out on June 28, 1762, the wife of Peter III, who became Empress Catherine II (1762-1796), was elevated to the Russian throne.

Thus, the palace coups did not entail changes in the political, and even more so the social system of society, and were reduced to the struggle for power of various noble groups pursuing their own, most often selfish interests. At the same time, the specific policy of each of the six monarchs had its own characteristics, sometimes important for the country. In general, socio-economic stabilization and foreign policy successes achieved during the reign of Elizabeth created the conditions for more accelerated development and new breakthroughs in foreign policy that would occur under Catherine II. Historians see the reasons for the palace coups in the decree of Peter I "on changing the order of succession to the throne", in the clash of corporate interests of various groups of the nobility. With a light hand, V.O. Klyuchevsky, many historians estimated the 1720s - 1750s. as a time of weakening of Russian absolutism. N.Ya. Eidelman generally considered palace coups as a kind of reaction of the nobility to a sharp increase in the independence of the state under Peter I and as historical experience showed, he writes, referring to the "unbridled" absolutism of Peter the Great, that such a huge concentration of power is dangerous both for its holder and for the ruling class itself." V.O. Klyuchevsky also associated the onset of political instability after the death of Peter I with the "autocracy" of the latter, who, in particular, decided to break the traditional order of succession to the throne (when the throne passed in a straight male descending line) - by the charter of February 5, 1722, the autocrat was granted the right, to appoint his own successor of his own free will. “Rarely did autocracy punish itself so cruelly as in the person of Peter with this law on February 5,” Klyuchevsky concluded. Peter I did not have time to appoint an heir to himself, the throne, according to Klyuchevsky, turned out to be given "to chance and became his toy": it was not the law that determined who should sit on the throne, but the guard, which at that time was "the dominant force." Thus, the reasons that caused this era of upheavals and temporary workers were rooted, on the one hand, in the state of the royal family, and on the other hand, in the characteristics of the environment that managed affairs.